JACKSON — Volunteer Mississippi, in coordination with the Office of the Governor and first lady Deborah Bryant, is accepting nominations for the 2016 Governor’s Initiative for Volunteer Excellence (GIVE) Awards.

Nomination forms can be completed online at giveawards.volunteermississippi.org. The deadline for nominations is 5 p.m. Feb. 15.

The GIVE Awards program was launched in 1993 by first lady Patricia O. Fordice and Gov. Kirk Fordice. Since that time, 239 individuals and organizations have been recognized for significant acts of service to their communities and the state of Mississippi.

“Volunteers are the unsung heroes of our state,” said Krista Estes, volunteer network officer for Volunteer Mississippi. “The GIVE Awards provide an opportunity to shine a light on the amazing stories of hope, caring and transformation made possible through the unselfish service of individual volunteers and organizations in Mississippi.”

GIVE Award nominations should include all of a nominees’ years of service, as long as they have served in an unpaid capacity (with the exception of nonprofit volunteer management professionals) and have performed service activities during 2015. Individuals that volunteer as a part of a workplace volunteer program, internship or for course credit are eligible.

Honorees for the 2016 GIVE Awards will be recognized at a special luncheon ceremony at the Mississippi Museum of Art on April 11, the Monday of National Volunteer Week. To learn more about the 2016 GIVE Awards, contact Krista Estes at 601-432-6306 or krista@volunteermississippi.org.